The Sembrich announces its 2023 summer festival & exhibition

BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich regularly presents museum exhibitions and an annual summer festival featuring a mix of world-class musicians, noted musical scholars, a free film series, and the opportunity to enjoy it all on the shores of Lake George. Listed on the National Historic Register, The Sembrich was once the teaching studio of Polish soprano Marcella Sembrich, one of the most famous musicians at the turn of the 20th century. The organizers of this year’s festival and exhibition promise a lively and exciting mix of events and activities.

Trailblazers — 2023 Summer Festival

June 11 - August 30

Trailblazers includes 23 individual events throughout the summer months. From David Smith to Marin Alsop and Alma Mahler to Philip Glass, the singu lar achievements of outstanding individuals in arts and culture will be celebrated throughout the season by a line-up of today’s finest concert artists.

“The art world has always had trailblazers, those unique individuals who forged a route through the wilderness for others to follow,” says Sembrich’s artistic director Richard Wargo. “Our fes tival this summer is built around a number of these innovators. ... Modernist sculptor David Smith, con ductor Marin Alsop, musicians

Gregor Piatigorsky and Alma Mahler, composers Franz Liszt, Philip Glass and Lin-Manuel Miranda, to name just a few. A number of our featured performers can be said to be ‘trailblazers’ in their own right: guitar and cello duo Boyd Meets Girl, the all-female horn quartet Genghis Barbie and Hub New Music, whom the Boston Globe praised as ‘contemporary chamber trailblazers.’ We’ve planned an exciting series of programs that we look forward to sharing.”

Highlights of The Sembrich’s 2023 summer festival include: Promenade Series — A lineup of genre-bending groups including the Adirondack Jazz Repertoire Ensemble, guitar and cello duo Boyd Meets Girl, and the leading post-feminist all-female horn experience Genghis Barbie.

The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (July 15, 7 p.m.) — This presentation with vintage photos by Betty Spinelli is a true tale of forbidden love, jealousy and mental instability that resulted in a shocking, cold-blooded murder, at a rooftop theater in New York City in front of nearly a thousand witnesses. The ensuing “trial of the century” mesmerized the public and helped close the curtains on America’s “Gilded Age.” As this bizarre story unfolds, you’ll discover several local connections to Saratoga and Lake George.

Alfred Z. Solomon Masterwork Series — Featuring some of the finest concert artists in the classical music scene, the Masterwork Series celebrates monumental figures in arts and culture including sculptor David Smith, Jean Francaix, Franz Liszt and more. Artists appearing include 25-year-old virtuoso pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, the trailblazing quartet HUB New Music, and members of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

“Mi México Querido” featuring Leonardo Sánchez (Aug. 26,

6 p.m.) — An elegant cantina-style gala performance on the lakeshore featuring rising operatic star, tenor Leonardo Sánchez. After five years in Europe, Leonardo has returned to his native roots with a program that evokes the color, tradition, and passion of his beloved Mexico. A not-to-be-missed evening of song and sentiment accompanied by the guitar, guitarrn, vihuela and accordion — pillars of traditional Mexican music.

Trailblazing Trends: Fashion and Accessories from the Gilded Age 2023 Exhibition

May - October

Marcella Sembrich was one of the first modern celebrities, a solo artist sought out by businesses to lend her star power to a new fledgling trend or product. During the turn of the 20th century, Sembrich lent her celebrity endorsements to many notable companies including Baldwin Piano, House of Worth, Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia Records and Vin Mariani. Because her endorsements carried weight in the public eye, Sembrich became a trend setter not only in music, but in the fashion world as well — even inspiring a style of shirt collar and ladies’ hat.

This year, a specially curated collection of Sembrich’s own Gilded Age fashion accessories will help illuminate the iconic, and sometimes controversial, trends that birthed them. The exhibition highlights her personal accessories from fans to lorgnettes to gloves and even several custom pieces by Louis Vuitton.

The Sembrich’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is being provided by a Market New York grant awarded to The Sembrich from I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.